Editor’s note: In December 2016, all criminal records for Austin Povilaitis related to the incident in the following story were expunged.

A University student was arrested on charges of reckless conduct after investigators reported that a fire that broke out early Wednesday morning at 105 E. John St. was caused by preparations to make a smoke bomb.

Champaign police said Austin Povilaitis, a 22-year old student in Business, was cooking incendiary chemicals on the stove in his second-floor apartment when the fire ignited. According to a Champaign Police Department news release, Povilaitis put a couch over the stove in an attempt to extinguish the fire, resulting in heavy black smoke. He suffered minor burns but refused treatment.

Evan Hayes, 21, of Naperville, Ill., was a visitor in the apartment at the time and jumped from the window to escape the heavy smoke and fire. No other injuries were reported.

Povilaitis was transferred to the Champaign County Satellite Jail and released on a $100 bond. Champaign police Lt. Jim Clark said Povilaitis made a court appearance Wednesday afternoon.

An Illini-Alert notifying students to stay clear of the area was issued after officers were dispatched to the scene around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday. Fourteen other residents in the building were evacuated and told to make arrangements for other places to stay, as Champaign Police had to wait until later that morning for a search warrant to conduct an arson investigation.

Residents were allowed back into their homes after the scene was cleared by about 1:30 p.m., and the building was released to its owner, said Dena Schumacher, Champaign Fire Department spokeswoman.

Campus spokeswoman Robin Kaler said the emergency dean helped displaced students find a place to stay and offered them warm clothes. The University also provided a Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District bus to residents to stay warm until they were given further instruction.

She said the emergency dean and other departments cooperated well in accommodating displaced residents.

“We are grateful for the MTD’s fast response, providing a bus to keep the displaced people warm when the fire forced them out of their apartments,” she said.

Deputy Fire Chief Stephen Clarkson, said the damage to the building does not look to be extensive and the most apparent damage was to furniture.

Carina can be reached at [email protected].